Chip Zien
Born
Jerome Herbert Zien

(1947-03-20) March 20, 1947
EducationUniversity of Pennsylvania
Occupation(s)Actor, singer
Years active1973–present
Known forInto the Woods
Falsettos
Howard the Duck
SpouseSusan Pilarre[1]
Children2[1]

Jerome Herbert "Chip" Zien (born March 20, 1947) is an American actor. He is best known for playing the lead role of the Baker in the original Broadway production of Into the Woods by Stephen Sondheim. He has appeared in all of the "Marvin Trilogy" musicals by William Finn: In Trousers, March of the Falsettos, Falsettoland and Falsettos. He played Monsieur Thénardier in the Broadway production of Les Misérables and Mark Rothenberg in the film United 93. He is also known for providing the voice of the titular character in the film Howard the Duck.

Early life

Zien was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and graduated from Whitefish Bay High School and later from the University of Pennsylvania.[2] There, he was the chairman of the Mask and Wig Club,[2][3] a historic collegiate musical comedy troupe.

Career

Young Zien started in local theatrical productions. One of his early roles was as a child in a production of South Pacific at the Melody Top summer outdoor theatre in Milwaukee.[4]

Stage

Zien's first major role was in 1977 at the Manhattan Theater Club in the musical The Redemption Center (by Ron Cowen, Seth Glassman, and Sandy Naishtat), opposite Alice Playten as the young couple. Later, Chip received acclaim in the role of Marvin in William Finn's first musical, In Trousers, which ran Off-Broadway in 1979.[5] In its sequels, March of the Falsettos (1981)[6] and Falsettoland,[7] this role was played by Michael Rupert, while Zien played Mendel, a role he reprised when these two one-act musicals were joined together and played Broadway as Falsettos in 1992.[8] In 1998 Zien was featured in another Finn musical when he played a children's show host called Mr. Bungee, dressed as a frog, in A New Brain Off-Broadway at the Lincoln Center Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater.[9] He received a 1999 Drama Desk Award nomination for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical for this role.[10]

He appeared in the Off-Broadway play Isn't It Romantic by Wendy Wasserstein in a Playwrights Horizons production at the Lucille Lortel Theatre, opening in June 1984. He was nominated for the 1984 Drama Desk Award, Featured Actor in a Play.[11] He originated the role of the Baker in Into the Woods in 1986 at the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego and on Broadway in 1987.[12]

Zien starred on Broadway in Ride the Winds (as Inari) (1974), The Suicide (as Victor Victorovich) (1980), Grand Hotel (as Otto Kringelein) (1989) and The Boys from Syracuse (as Dromio of Ephesus) (2002).[10] He appeared in the City Center Encores! staged concert production of Applause as Buzz Richards in 2008.[13]

In 2005, Zien played the part of Goran in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang on Broadway.[14]

In 2007, Zien was a replacement in the Broadway revival of Les Misérables in the role of Monsieur Thénardier.

From April 1 to June 19, 2011, Zien appeared in the Roundabout Theatre Company's production of The People in the Picture, which played at Studio 54 on Broadway.[15]

Zien appeared in a revival of Into the Woods at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park from August 9 to September 1, 2012. He played the Mysterious Man, the father of the character he had originated in the original production 26 years prior.[16]

Zien appeared in the Broadway musical It Shoulda Been You at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre as Murray with music by Barbara Anselmi, book and lyrics by Brian Hargrove. The show, marking the directorial debut of David Hyde Pierce, starred Tyne Daly, Harriet Harris, Sierra Boggess, and David Burtka, and opened in previews March 17, 2015, and officially on April 14.[17]

Zien originated the role of Older Rabbi Josef Roman Cycowski of the famous Comedian Harmonists both Off-Broadway and on Broadway in the musical Harmony at both the Museum of Jewish Heritage at the National Theater Folksbiene and the Ethel Barrymore Theatre in 2022 and 2023, respectively.

Film and television

In 1973, Zien made his television debut on an episode of Love, American Style. More guest roles in television followed, and in the early 1980s, he began a stream of regular TV roles. In 1981, he appeared on Ryan's Hope as Daniel Thorne, the producer of the fictional Proud and the Passionate soap opera on the series in which the character Barbara Wilde (Judith Barcroft) was starring. Later that year, he began a two-year run in the freshman NBC sitcom Love, Sidney as Jason Stoller, the young, hot-shot ad agency director who was Sidney Shorr's (Tony Randall) boss. Immediately after Love, Sidney's cancellation, Zien was cast in a similar role on the ABC sitcom Reggie, an American adaptation of the British series The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin. He played C.J. Wilcox, the overbearing young boss of Richard Mulligan's Reggie Potter. The series aired as a summer replacement during August and September 1983, but was not renewed by ABC after the tryout run. In 1986, he provided the voice of the title character in Marvel Comics' Howard the Duck.[18] Zien later starred on the short-lived CBS drama Shell Game in 1987.[19]

In the 1990s, Zien was part of the ensemble cast of the CBS sitcom Almost Perfect (1995–96), playing neurotic screenwriter Gary Karp.[20] Almost Perfect was cancelled shortly into its second season, but the series sustained its loyal following via reruns on USA Network not long after. Zien would return to regular roles in daytime drama, first on Guiding Light in early 1999, and by that summer, as newspaper reporter Donald Steele on All My Children, a role that would last until 2001.[20]

From 1999 to 2000, Zien had a recurring guest role on the CBS primetime drama Now and Again as Gerald Misenbach.[21] He has appeared repeatedly as Attorney Cromwell on Law & Order.[22]

During the 2002–03 season, Zien was the announcer on daytime's The Caroline Rhea Show,[20] which was based in New York (on the former Rosie O'Donnell Show set). In 2006, he appeared in the critically acclaimed film United 93 as Mark Rothenberg.[23] He played Dr. Marsh in the vampire comedy film Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Undead.

Personal life

Zien is married to former dancer and dancing instructor Susan Pilarre; the couple has two children.[1]

Acting credits

Theatre

Year Title Role Notes
1956 South Pacific Jerome
1974 Ride The Winds Inari Original Broadway cast
All Over Town u/s Charles
u/s Demetrius
u/s Detective Kirby
u/s Laurent
u/s Louie
1977 The Redemption Center Husband
1979 In Trousers Marvin Off-Broadway
1980 The Suicide Victor Victorovich Original Broadway cast
1981 March of the Falsettos Mendel Off-Broadway
1985 Merrily We Roll Along Charley Kringas La Jolla Playhouse
1986–87 Into the Woods The Baker San Diego Premiere
1987–89 Original Broadway cast
1989 Grand Hotel Otto Kringelein Broadway
1990 Falsettoland Mendel Off-Broadway
1992 Falsettos Original Broadway cast
1993 Los Angeles
1995 Anyone Can Whistle Treasurer Cooley Carnegie Hall
1997 Into the Woods The Baker 10th Anniversary Concert: Broadway
1998 A New Brain Mr. Bungee Off-Broadway
2002 The Boys from Syracuse Dromio of Ephesus Original Broadway cast
2005 Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Goran
2007 Les Misérables Monsieur Thénardier Broadway
2008 Applause Buzz Richards Encores!
The Country Girl Phil Cook Original Broadway cast
2011 The People in the Picture Yossie Pinsker
2012 Into the Woods The Mysterious Man / Cinderella's Father Delacorte Theater in Central Park
2013 The Big Knife Nat Danziger Original Broadway cast
2015 It Shoulda Been You Murray Steinberg
Grand Hotel Otto Kringelein 25th Anniversary Concert
2021 Caroline, or Change Mr. Stopnick Original Broadway cast
2022 Harmony Older Rabbi Cycowski Off-Broadway
2023 Original Broadway cast

Film and television

Year Title Role Notes
1973 Love, American Style Leo
1977 Off Campus Josh TV movie
1978 CHiPs Davey
1978 Fix-it City Irving TV movie
1979 The Rose Reporter
1981 So Fine Wise Guy In Disco
1981 Ryan's Hope Daniel Thorne
1981–1982 Love, Sidney Jason Stoller
1982 NBC Special Treat Jake
1983 Reggie C.J. Wilcox
1984 The House of God Eddie
1984 Grace Quigley Dr. Herman
1985 As the World Turns Roastmaster
1986 Cheers Jeff Warren
1986 Howard the Duck Howard T. Duck (voice)
1987 Shell Game Bert Luna
1987 Hello Again Reporter #4
1989 Newhart Mr. Jenkins
1990 Thirtysomething Dr. Verny
1990–2002 Law & Order Attorney Steven Cromwell / Mr. Green
1991 American Playhouse The Baker Episode: "Into the Woods"
1992 Quiet Killer Dr. Lionel Katz TV movie
1994 Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle Franklin P. Adams
1995 The Wright Verdicts Assistant District Attorney Fred Keller
1995 Aaron's Magic Village Treitel, The Donkey (voices)
1995 Cagney & Lacey: The View Through the Glass Ceiling Assistant District Attorney Douglas Trayne TV movie
1995–1997 Almost Perfect Gary Karp
1996 Cagney & Lacey: True Convictions Assistant District Attorney Trayne TV movie
1997 Wings Bippy, The Clown
1997 Profiler
1998 Snake Eyes Mickey Alter, Tyler's Lawyer
1998 The Siege Chief of Staff
1998–2001 All My Children Donald Steele
1999 Guiding Light Aidan Heath
1999 Breakfast of Champions Andy Wojeckowzski
1999 Now and Again Gerald Misenbach
1999 Cosby Max
1999 Brooklyn Thrill Killers Harry Lieberman Short
2000 Judging Amy Dr. Ken Baker
2000 Madigan Men Mr. Wolfe
2000–2001 Deadline Sammy Klein
2001 Son of the Beach Larry Big
2003 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Lawyer
2006 United 93 Mark Rothenberg
2006 Inseparable Len TV movie
2008 The Verdict TV movie
2008 Lipstick Jungle Andrew
2009 Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Undead Dr. Marsh
2009 Rescue Me Arthur Frost
2009 The Good Wife Judge Lee Sutman
2010 Ugly Betty Frank
2012 Commentary Clifford Blowman
2013 That's News to Me Dr. Henschel Short
2016 Chicago P.D. Judge Lurman
2016 The Night Of Dr. Katz
2016 Mozart in the Jungle Larry, The Night Watchman
2017 Approaching a Breakthrough Short
2017 Little Evil Stepdad Therapist
2018 Bull Professor Jameson
2018 House of Cards Dr. Charles Rosen
2019 City on a Hill Adam Corso
2020 Hunters Levi Libstein
2021 Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist Alan
2022 Simchas and Sorrows Mortimer
2023 Ghosts Lenny Lefkowitz

References

  1. 1 2 3 Collins, Glenn (July 23, 1990). "Men of 'Falsettoland' As Their Old Selves But With New Fears". The New York Times. Retrieved August 28, 2021.
  2. 1 2 Aikin, Jefferson J.; Fehring, Thomas H. (2017). Historic Whitefish Bay: A Celebration of Architecture and Character. Arcadia Publishing. p. 96. ISBN 9781439663042. Retrieved January 1, 2022.
  3. Buckley, Michael (August 27, 2002). "Wherefore Art Thou Dromio?". TheaterMania. Retrieved January 1, 2022.
  4. "Chip Zien: A Happy Irony," Damien Jacques, The Milwaukee Journal, Sunday December 27, 1981, Part 5, pages 1 and 2, accessed May 11, 2013
  5. In Trousers lortel.org, retrieved December 9, 2017
  6. March of the Falsettos lortel.org, accessed December 9, 2017
  7. Falsettoland playwrightshorizons.org, accessed May 23, 2015
  8. Falsettos Internet Broadway Database, accessed May 22, 2015
  9. Brantley, Ben. "Theater Review; A Romp Through the Valley of Death" The New York Times, June 19, 1998
  10. 1 2 "Chip Zien" playbill.com, accessed April 8, 2022
  11. Isn't It Romantic Archived 2014-10-28 at the Wayback Machine lortel.org, accessed May 23, 2015
  12. Into the Woods sondheimguide.com, accessed May 22, 2015
  13. Gans, Andrew. "Welcome to the Theatre": City Center Encores! Begins New Season with Applause " playbill.com, February 7, 2008
  14. " Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Listing, 2005" Archived 2015-05-23 at the Wayback Machine playbillvault.com, accessed May 22, 2015
  15. " The People in the Picture Listing" Archived 2012-03-18 at the Wayback Machine playbillvault.com, accessed May 20, 2015
  16. Into the Woods Archived 2015-04-07 at the Wayback Machine lortel.org, accessed May 22, 2015
  17. Playbill Staff. "The Verdict: Read Reviews for New Musical It Shoulda Been You On Broadway" playbill.com, April 14, 2015
  18. " Howard the Duck Cast and Crew" tcm.com, accessed May 22, 2015
  19. " Shell Game Cast" tv.com, accessed May 23, 2015.
  20. 1 2 3 "Chip Zien Biography" filmreference.com, accessed May 22, 2015
  21. " Now and Again Cast" tv.com, accessed May 22, 2015
  22. Hernandez, Ernio (July 4, 2007). "PLAYBILL.COM'S CUE & A: Chip Zien". Playbill. Retrieved January 1, 2022.
  23. " United 93 Cast and Crew" tcm.com, accessed May 22, 2015
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